The Battle Within
by sndbrg23
Summary: Wyatt receives his first charge, but he's not being told the whole story. Neither are the rest of the Halliwell family.
1. The Battle Within

The Battle Within

Wyatt Halliwell paced the gates of the Elders. Even in his twenty-seven years of being a Charmed One, he was very much like his mother who hated to wait, especially the Elders. For many years, the word, "Elders" had as much dismay as any profanity that Wyatt knew or heard. Now, he worked as a whitelighter, and he had to stay as objective as possible.

For the past six years, Wyatt and Chris had been shadowing their Aunt Paige on her assignments, so they knew the territory. For this, half witch/half whitelighter was new territory for everyone, so the Elders believed the best way of learning was through family. Now, Chris continued to share charges with Paige as she worked with her Magic School students, and Wyatt was getting his first, today.

The Elders strolled through the gate in their golden robes; Dad had told him that he would receive a robe alike to it, when he earned it. Now, he was still a rookie at all this. One Elder separated from the rest of the group and joined Wyatt.

"Wyatt, how are you?" The Elder tapped Wyatt on his shoulder. The Elder was short—almost half of Wyatt's height. He removed his hood. In front of Wyatt was a young man, around sixteen or seventeen, smiling up at him. "My name's Kevin. Your mom and your aunts helped me many years ago. An Elder was retiring, and I received his powers."

"Kevin." Did Mom know about this Elder? He's just a kid. "You have an assignment for me?"

"Congratulations. You're official. Now, there's a woman around twenty three or so. She currently works in your mother's restaurant as a sous chef. Her name is Patricia Goodman."

"Patty? Yeah, she does sauces and soups. I knew she was magical. Everyone in the restaurant is magical. They have some power or had some power. It's been a refuge for years. She's my charge."

"Don't take this too lightly. She is not some ordinary witch. If she was, I wouldn't be talking to you. This requires your full attention and abilities to grow as a witch." Kevin's voice was firm and maintained eye contact with Wyatt. Wyatt crunched his eyebrows.

Wyatt crossed his arms and looked down at Kevin, "This seems too easy. What's the catch? There's something you're not telling me."

"Very much like your mother. Very much."

"That's code for you're not telling me."


	2. It's Important

Halliwell's was bustling for the dinner rush. Piper Halliwell had her manager recheck the VIP dinner reservation, and she had to make sure the food orders had been organized for Saturday night's crowd. Her executive chef had created new specials, and the service staff were sampling and commenting on the new dishes. One soup dinner levitated to another, while herbs hovered over the wait staff to perfect the food.

Magic was a norm at Halliwell's, since its conception. The Charmed Ones had dealt with a variety of jobs that made their magical destiny difficult when the need arose. They believed the rest of the magical community should have a place to work, and if a magical emergency happened, it was excused and understood. Each member of her staff had magical powers or came from magical families. Their powers were treated as assets to the restaurant instead of handicaps. Those who didn't look like San Franciscans were glamoured to appear human; everyone had to make a living. Magic didn't pay the bills. The Sisters believed it was their responsibility to have a place of safety and a sense of normalcy.

Piper strolled into the main cooking area and verified everything with the executive chef. Jacque Levarenz was from a French witch family, but received no powers, except for the power of making delicious foods. When Halliwell's opened, Jacque jumped at the chance to work for prodigious restaurant as well as a powerful witch family. His Assistant Executive Chef, Rebecca Wells, and Sous Chef, Patricia Goodman, were chopping vegetables and filling large clear plastic crates for tonight's dinner. Wells was able to levitate the product from the cooler, which made Goodman quicker with her telekinesis to cut multiple vegetables simultaneously.

Wyatt Halliwell burst through the doors seeking his mother. "Mom! Can I talk to you?"

"Son, do you realize that we are thirty minutes before the dinner rush?"

"It's important. I've got my first charge, but I need help."

When any of her children say that something is important, it is. The Charmed Ones have raised their children to know when something can wait, or when it is important. Piper placed her clipboard on the side table, "Okay, let's go into the dining room." Piper led her son to empty tables that had already been dressed for the evening. Sitting across from each other, Piper looked into her son's eyes, "That's great you have your first charge, but shouldn't you talk to Dad about this? He was the whitelighter and the angel."

"It's a witch thing. I have been given one of our staff as my first charge, Patty Goodman; however, the Elders were very elusive about why. They said that this charge needed my expertise and abilities, and I have no clue what they are talking about. They also said that I acted just like you…you know, not trusting them, especially when they are hiding from something."

Piper nodded one of those nods. She has had a lot of experiences with the Elders and their mind games. They first separated her and Leo from dating, being engaged, and marrying in the allotted time. Then, when she was finally balancing her marriage and her Charmed duties, Leo became an Elder, which caused strain on their relationship. With the help of future Chris, she was reunited with Leo, but she lost him again when he sided with the Avatars. After the Avatars, it took a leap of faith and help from a limbo Cole to be with Leo. It always had been a constant battle of keeping with the Elders and their mission. To her, she had no clue of what the mission was.

"Other than her name, you have no other information?"

"No, the Elder…Kevin, said you knew him?"

"Gosh, that was years ago. An Elder had retired, and we had to protect him. I was pregnant with you at the time, and there was a teenager who had the ability to make his drawings come to life. He ended up making us superheroes to defeat the demon. When the Elder gave up his power, he gave it to Kevin. Does he look the same?"

"About seventeen?"

"Yep, that would be the Kevin I know. I know Patty has the power of telekinesis, but other than that, I don't know what other powers she has. She hasn't really talked to anybody about her past, friends, or anything else…other than she lived back east before culinary school. Jacque has said she can have a temper, but she's a gifted chef..could make executive chef in a few years." Piper placed her head on her hand, "So, what's your next step?"

"I have to tell her she's my charge, so I can help her with whatever she needs guidance on."

"Don't do it now. There is so much going on with the prep for the first dinner rush. It would be best either after work or tomorrow during prep. Maybe take tonight and observe—make mental notes of her, so you can ask the right questions when you do talk to her."

Wyatt stood up and kissed his mother's cheek, "I knew I talked to the right person." Piper smiled, but she like Wyatt was very curious of why this charge was put in Wyatt's care. When Paige received her first charge, it ended up being her biological father who had dropped off the whitelighter radar, and the Elders needed a blood relative to find him before he was to be killed by a darklighter. It became a big mess when Cole got involved in an attempt to get Phoebe back or to end his life. Phoebe and Paige were to arrive any minute, and this was important to talk to her sisters about Wyatt's problem.

For most of the time, Wyatt was the back manager and keeper of the books and orders. He made sure the back was working well with the front in order to make service impeccable. He had talked to Patty about work matters often, but not a personable one at all. He was always "Mr. Halliwell" and not "Wyatt," because she had wanted to keep a strict line between professional and personal business, and Wyatt had to respect that decision, even though for a twenty –something , it was still awkward, because she was around his age.

Instead of being the office tonight, Wyatt helped with the orders and smoothed out glitches in the night's performance. He had watched Patty create thirty to forty different sauces, some simultaneously, to keep with the speed of the staff. Fairies and imps had kept the speed of the service quick and succinct, and there was no room for error. The wash staff kept offering clean sauce pans as soon as they were clean, so there was no wait. However, when Patty received a cold pan, she placed her hand on the bottom and dropped oil and shallots, which immediately sizzled. She was able to have heat in her hand? What power was this unless it was demonic?

Tapping his foot, he knew what the Elders kept from him…his charge was half witch and half demon.


	3. The Fire Ball

Wyatt now was infuriated. He didn't know who to be truly mad at—himself or the Elders. This was a set-up, and he was in the middle of it. With the bustling of the restaurant, there was no way of talking to his mother or his aunts. He just needed to wait for the end of the shift. This couldn't way until tomorrow.

At the end of the night, Patty finished her last couple of pans to help out the cleaning crew. At two-thirty in the morning, she just wanted to go home and crash. She removed her whites, changed into something that didn't smell like garlic, and grabbed her bag to go home. Walking down the stairs, Patty met Wyatt Halliwell's eyes.

"Mr. Halliwell? What do you want?"

"There's something we need to talk about. Do you know what a whitelighter is?"

"A guide for witches. My stepmother had one; he helped her out. Why?"

"I've been assigned by the Elders—to you."

"Why? I am not a practicing witch. I use my powers to cook- not to fight good or evil."

"Your powers are unique. You have witch powers, but you can heat your hands. You can create fire in your hands."

"So? It has become effective to multi-task in the restaurant."

"It's demonic…don't you know how rare this is?"

"Not to me for the past couple of years." Patty placed her hands on her hips. "My mother and step-mother kept my powers dormant since I was a child. They bound my powers until my step-mother died."

"There is a reason that I was chosen to be your whitelighter."

"AND?"

"I don't know completely. You're my first charge. I'm learning this, but it must have to do with your half witch, half demonic powers. Maybe they are afraid you'll pick a side."

"A side? You mean good and evil? Wy—Mr. Halliwell, I just want to go home. Please, tell the Elders or anyone else, that your services are not required. Thanks, but no thanks." Patty began to walk toward her car, and Wyatt orbed to her driver's side door. "Now, you're annoying. Back off, or I—"

"You'll what?" At that point, a cloaked demon appeared in front of Wyatt. "Patty…"

"What? I said…" Patty shot a fire ball in Wyatt's direction. Wyatt ducked and the ball struck the demon, destroying him. "What the hell was that?"

"You've just picked a side."


	4. Do Not Blow Up Your Whitelighter

"MOM!" Wyatt's voice could be heard minutes before he arrived at the manor. Piper had arrived home an hour ago and just had changed into night clothes. At two-thirty in morning, it was getting to be too late to handle demonic problems. Grabbing a cup of chamomile tea, she relaxed herself in the living room as she waited for her son's arrival.

Wyatt orbed in with Patty whose hands were covered with oven mitts. Piper stifled a giggle, because it reminded her of when Prue and Phoebe had placed similar mitts on her hands when she received her exploding power. "Wyatt, why does Patty have oven mitts on her hands?"

"Mrs. Hall—" Patty started but Wyatt stopped her.

"Patty…vanished a demon…with her hands!" It looked like Wyatt was going to blow a gasket.

"I didn't mean to. I was aiming for YOU! You were just quicker than I expected."

"You're not supposed to blow up your whitelighter! I'm still human, remember!"

"I just wanted to go home! YOU got in my way!"

"Now, you see what could have happened if you didn't have me around."

"It wouldn't have happened if you didn't get me mad."

"What are you, the Hulk?"

"The..what?"

Piper had had enough, "STOP! Both of you!" She stood up, finished her cup of tea, and took a deep cleansing breath. "Now, it is too late to delve into this now, but I agree with Wyatt that this needs to be looked at more slowly."

"But—" Patty began, but Piper froze her, well half of her. "Wat hav u dun with mee?"

"I froze you. If it is true you have demonic and witch powers, a part of you will freeze if you have no control of it. That's what I did." She unfroze her. "Now, Patty, there's a spare room upstairs and you can sleep here tonight until we figure it out. Wyatt, go home. I don't think demons are going to attack tonight." Wyatt didn't argue with his mother. He glared at Patty and grunted as he orbed out. "Let's get some sleep."

The next morning, Patty came downstairs to a full breakfast spread. Along with Piper, Phoebe and Paige drank coffee and munched on muffins. "Morning, Sunshine, it's been a while since we've had house guests, so I got a little carried away," Piper handled Patty a plate. "Wyatt's going to be here after he runs some errands." Patty filled her plate with waffles, bacon, and eggs and sat down to Paige who poured herself and Patty a cup of coffee.

"So, Patty, you a little freaked out, huh?" Paige added cream and sugar to her java.

"To say the least, I didn't know I had it in me," Patty tried to concentrate on her bacon than last night's incident.

"We don't know much about you, other than work stuff," Phoebe began," I know you come back East, New York?"

"Massachusetts. Salem."

"Witches and Salem. Surprise. Surprise," commented Paige.

"I knew about the witch thing, because my mom and godmother were witches. They bound my powers before I even knew about them. I didn't realize when my godmother died that they would come back."

"Our Gramms did the same thing to keep things normal," Piper added, "What about your mom?"

"She died when I was pretty young, and my godmother thought my mom knew she wasn't going to live into old age, so that's why she had her to do the potion."

"Gosh, sorry, my adopted parents died too when I was young. My—Our Mom died young too," Paige remembered how her parents had been killed in an auto crash and Paige's orbing saved her life. She knew why , but it still stung after all these years.

"When my godmother died, in her will, she had collected enough money for me to go to Berkeley or the Culinary Institute. She had requested that I go to San Francisco. It was really weird—I could have gone, so close to home, but she kept telling me to go here."

Phoebe refilled her plate with a couple strips of bacon, "Piper, Paige, maybe her godmother and mother knew about us, you know, heard about the restaurant, and provide a place for her to use her powers in safety. Could they be in the Book?"

"Maybe, we even know them. You'd never know with how many witches we've met in the last thirty years. What's your godmother's name?"

"Sarah."

"Sarah. Goodman. Salem…shocker!"

"PAIGE!" Piper and Phoebe shouted.

"Sorry, there's fifteen thousand witches with Sarah as a first name."

"What's your Mom's name?"

"Patience…you know like the virtue.." All three Charmed Ones dropped their forks simultaneously. "What's wrong?"

"Do you know what your mom looked like?" Piper asked carefully.

"Yes, I've seen pictures, why?" Phoebe and Paige gently pulled Patty out of her chair and Piper held her hand, and she began to walk Patty upstairs with her sisters.

"Why does this seem like déjà vu?" Paige asked Phoebe, but Phoebe didn't answer.

When they reached the attic, Piper released Patty's hand and grabbed a picture frame. Piper took deeper breaths, half-hoping, this was true and half-hoping, this was all in her head. She flipped the frame, so Patty could see the picture. "Is this your mom?"

Patty couldn't register her voice. Her eyes grew larger and larger, "You know my mom?"

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige gazed at ceiling, "PRUE!"


	5. The Bedtime Story into a Nightmare

Now Patty was confused. Her boss and her sisters were screaming at the ceiling a name she vaguely knew. Prue was their sister who had passed many years ago. She didn't know how she was so important to her mother, or how the Charmed Ones were so invested into her welfare.

Patty crossed her arms and flicked through her light brown hair. She wanted answers. She wanted them now. "What does Prue have to do with me?"

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige exchanged looks as if they were doing "rock-paper-scissors" mentally to determine who would talk. "FINE! I'll do it!" Piper slammed on the Book of Shadows so hard the stand shook, and the picture frame slipped. Using her freezing power, the frame stopped inches before it shattered ruining the frame as well as the picture. She carefully grabbed the frame and placed it on the shelf.

Recollecting herself, Piper inhaled copious amounts of air to regain her composure. "Patty, what do you know about your mom? Your real mom?"

"Feelings of comfort. My mom's hugs. I've taken pictures my godmother had taken and created a continuous memory of her. I was very young—four or five. I know it was before kindergarten. I was one of the only ones whose real mom wasn't there. Why?"

Piper turned the stand so Patty could see the entry. "Patience is _Prue_, Patty." The Book of Shadows had Prue's entry, and included was Patience's image. "When we became the Charmed Ones, we were given a destiny—to fight evil and protect innocents, especially from the Source of All Evil." Piper flipped the pages as if she was telling a bedtime story. The Source's entry followed and then a series of demons including Tempest, Nicholas, Cole, and The Seer. "The Source wanted the Charmed Ones dead, and he sent the worst of the worst to do just that.

"As we were protecting an innocent, the Source's personal assassin, Shax, attacked the Manor. He threw the innocent, Prue, Phoebe, and me into different directions. Leo had enough time to save us from being killed. Shax was later vanquished, but we were exposed as witches.

"In order to reverse time and change what had happened, the Source and Phoebe made a deal to stay in the Underworld, and Tempest would reverse time. Time did reverse, but without Phoebe to distract Shax, we-Prue and I, were thrown through a wall. Leo had time to save me, but Prue was already gone.

"Prue couldn't handle death. She used her powers to trace Paige, so the Charmed Ones could be reconstituted, but after that, it grew more difficult to be happy and dead. She had her family and friends, but it was not enough. She felt cheated.

"Years later, a woman was in a coma in Salem. A demon had taken her soul, which left an empty shell. The demon was vanquished, but her soul could not return to the body. It was too late. Prue astro-projected herself into Patience and began to live Patience's life."

"Confused…" Patty's face twisted in more question marks than answers. "Astro-pro—huh?"

Phoebe continued, "You know the expression: _Not being able to be in two places at once?_ Witches have the ability to create an image of themselves in a different location than the physical body. The image could be manipulated, and the witch, in most cases, is conscious of what was happening in the projection." Phoebe remembered how Prue had astro-projected herself during Piper's wedding, and her ego also ruined it. "Prue wanted to live, and at that time, she didn't care how. As time went on, Prue liked living without any Charmed responsibilities; she was able to live as she would normally, but she realized she wasn't using Patience's powers; she was able to use her own. After all the years, her power of telekinesis was stronger than ever. She decided to help other witches in the area using her experiences.

"Knowing that all four Charmed Ones together could be dangerous, Prue did not make contact with us. In fact, the only reason we knew was our mother and grandmother lost contact with Prue and were worried. Our mother sent my…vanquished…ex-husband slash half demon slash half man to find Prue and.."

Paige continued the story, "I was sent to see a witch in Salem named Sarah. Phoebe's ex tried to stop me, but he failed. My first interaction with my sister was not I would say friendly; in fact, it was contemptuous. Our powers collided. Even after Prue told me who she was, I didn't believe her. It wasn't until I took Prue home did I realize that I had just met my long lost sister.

"Honestly, I felt left out. The original Charmed Ones were reunited, and I was the extra sister. It was Prue who stopped me to take a binding potion that would eliminate my powers as a Charmed One. Prue was happy being who she was and not a Charmed One. She realized her destiny as a Charmed One was not to vanquish the Source of All Evil, it was to find me. She believed that was more important than any Source of any Evil. Prue felt guilty for feeling selfish and childish for her tantrum, her words. She left and continued to live in Salem until we fought for Magic School, which wasn't until a year or so after we found out about her."

Piper walked over to Patty's side, "Even when she, Patience, Prue, died, she knew it was time. Death gets what it wants..I should know…I helped Death." Patty's eyes widen. "Long story…Never mind. Prue knew Death was after her, and she accepted her fate…finally. We've been in contact over the years, but we never knew…"

"Why? Why was I such a secret?"

Phoebe spoke up, "Honey, it is because of your genetic make-up. You're half witch, half demon. Your mom and your godmother were protecting you from being hurt, very much how our mother and grandmother protected us. It gave all of us a chance for a normal life before we were forced to become witches.

"Since my ex-husband was a demon and I was pregnant with his child, a half witch, half demon baby was very much a possibility. We both knew how powerful this child would be: half Charmed One and half powerful demon. The pregnancy ended harshly, so it did not come to fruition. Maybe Prue knew that too…"

"I feel like such a freak. I don't belong anywhere!"

All the Charmed Ones gathered around Patty. All three held hands. Piper stared into her eyes, "You belong here. We are your family. No matter what."

"So you're my Aunts and Wyatt is my….cousin?"

"Yes," Piper immediately said, "how the genetics work with, I'm not sure. We'll figure that out later." Patty hugged them, and they returned the embrace.

To break this happy moment, a figure appeared in at the attic's door. It was in black robes, faceless. Paige screamed, "Patty, duck!"

Patty turned to face the demon. "No! He's mine." She was face-to-face with the demon. "You want me? Come and get me." As if it was a shootout in the Old West, the demon and Prue's daughter stared at each other. The moment the demon twitched, Patty launched a fireball—vanquishing the demon. Patty started to laugh and turned to her aunts. She smiled widely, "This can be fun! I can get used to this adrenaline rush!"

The Charmed Ones did not respond. Jaws dropped to the floor.

Phoebe spoke first, "I know that smile,"

Paige added, "and the laugh,"

Piper finished, "and the cockiness."

"Oh,"

"My,"

"God!"

All three glared at the ceiling, "PRUE!"


	6. Why did the Bear have to Die?

"Why did the bear have to die?" Paige threw up her hands at Piper. Snowflakes of polyester and styrofoam floated in the attic and covered the floor. A severed arm and a decapitated head were all was left of the Spring Festival polar bear.

"It was either that or the wall, your choice!" Piper retorted. Patty inched farther and farther from the sisters and toward the door.

Phoebe recognized this and reached for Patty, "Honey, Aunt Piper has some…anger issues. You see, when our emotions are high, our powers are a little.. out of.. whack."

"You're not angry? This is definitely the cauldron calling the pot black! What the hell was she thinking?"

Phoebe nodded in agreement, "I'm aggravated, but not enough to scare the girl."

At that point, Wyatt orbed in. "Hey," noticing the attic's ruins, "what happened here?"

Piper snapped, "Get your father and Coop, now."

"But—"

All three Charmed Ones yelled, "NOW!" Wyatt orbed out.

"How did you do that?" Patty wondered.

"What, Honey?" Phoebe touched her shoulder.

"How did you get Wyatt to shut up?"

"Seniority.." Phoebe quickly answered.

"Experience.." Paige added.

"And Fear.." Piper finished.

"Do you, guys, do that all that all the time?"

"What?"

"Finish each other's sentences?"

"It comes with the territory." Paige grabbed a broom and began to sweep the bear's remains, so there was room for the five white candles to be placed in the middle of the attic.

Piper lit each candle and approached the book, "_H__ear these words, hear my cry, spirits from the other side, come to me, I summon thee, cross now the great divide_." There was a flicker of wind, but no one crossed over.

"Piper, you've tried it three times without the candles and once with them. It's not working. It means they are not going to let her come down until we figure it out!" Paige scooped the pile of fluff into the waste basket.

"Maybe it isn't Piper that should be saying it. It should be all of us—including Patty. After all, she is her mother." Phoebe held Patty's hand and walked her to the Book, "Patty, say these words with us."

"This sounds oddly familiar…"

"PAIGE!"

Piper, Phoebe, Patty, and Paige held hands and repeated the spell, "_H__ear these words, hear my cry, spirits from the other side, come to me, I summon thee, cross now the great divide_." The wind picked up and began to swirl in the center of the candles. Phoebe and Paige pulled Patty behind them, just in case a demon would attack at this moment. An image started to appear in the center. It was Prue. Prue had aged with her sisters, so they appeared the same age.

"Piper, Phoebe, Paige…" Patty sneaked in between her aunts to look at the ghost in front of her. "Patty?"

Patty nodded. She was a full grown adult; however, the events that have had happened in the past twenty-four hours made her cower like a child.

Phoebe held Patty's hand, "This is Prue Halliwell, your mom."

"M..y mom didn't look like that."

Prue's eyes widened, "You're right. Hold on." Prue's image morphed into Patience's figure: tall, skinny, and short blonde hair. "Is this better?" Patty nodded again.

"I…don't anything…anymore. All of this is happening too fast!" She hid into Phoebe's shoulders and cried softly.

"Patty, pumpkin, I know this is hard.."

Patty's head jolted up, "What did you say?"

"Pumpkin…We'd go to Johansen's farm during the fall when you were little. You put your head next to a small one and said `I'm a pumpkin, Mommy!'" Patty released Phoebe and walked to the translucent Patience.

"Mom?"

Patience walked through the candles, morphed back into Prue, and reached for her daughter, "It's me, Pumpkin." Patty grabbed her mother and squeezed her.

Tears rolled down Patty's cheeks, "I can't believe it's you…"

"It's me, honey. I love you so much…I'm so proud of you."

Piper cleared her voice, "I hate to break this happy moment, but we have to CHAT. A cluster of demons is AFTER your daughter, and we need to talk about her _**FATHER!**_"

"Do we need another _**bear, Piper!"**_ Paige snipped.


	7. Deja Vu and Wisecracks

Déjà vu and Wisecracks

The reunion continued downstairs where Piper made enough chamomile tea for the next decade. She may have been the only one, who overreacted, but she knew her sisters; they too were just moments away from their own explosions, especially Phoebe. In the living room, Prue and Patty continued to talk on one couch, while Prue's sisters sat on the opposite one.

"I guess I should start at the beginning…" Prue began, "After my sisters found out who I was, I knew I would be dragged back into Charmed business, but I did not want to lose my new found freedom. I liked who I became…"

"At least you didn't ruin a wedding this time.."

"PIPER! Anyway, after being known as Prue again, the Patience persona lasted enough for me to stay away, but it felt more like living a lie, and no one understood how I felt, except your dad."

"Didn't I get chastised for the same thing?"

"PHOEBE!" Prue knew she was going to get it from Phoebe, but all of them? "He knew my secret and my past and I knew his. I didn't see the demon that I loathed before; he was a sympathetic friend."

"Mom, why is there such hostility between you and your sisters? What don't I know about my dad?"

"Prue, let me get this one. Patty, your dad was my ex-husband. His name is Cole Turner."

"The half demon, half man, half vanquished, huh?" Patty's questioned face was mirrored throughout the room.

"Cole wasn't just a demon. He was a powerful demon who tried to kill us. Unfortunately for the Source, he fell in love with Phoebe, and Cole actually protected everyone, especially after I was killed. He tried to be good, but…"

"He became the Source of All Evil…"

"PIPER!"

"Made me the Queen of the Underworld.."

"PHOEBE!"

"And put me in an alternate world—where I was DEAD!"

"PAIGE!"

"Don't forget…he mummified you!"

"PIPER!"

"And attacked you while you were carrying Wyatt!"

"PHOEBE!"

"How many times did we vanquish him? Two, three times?"

"PAIGE!"

"I think it was actually four, if you count when he was the Source.."

"PIPER! ENOUGH! Guys, don't you know how much this contradicts everything I believed in when I was alive? I know this is hard to swallow after everything you've been through, especially you, Phoebs. I didn't plan it, but I fell in love with him too." Prue put her head into her hands.

Patty put her hand on her mother's shoulder, "Did he love you too?"

"Yes, he did. He ended up not just marrying one Halliwell-he married two." Prue showed her ring on her left hand. "He wanted to start fresh. It started as two people who had a common secret, and then he came by for lunch and then dinner. Within months, we were dating like a normal couple. I had created a temporary binding potion for him, so he could control his demonic powers. Unfortunately, when the Charmed Ones needed us, we knew they would need his powers. We were married at the time, and we didn't think about a baby.

"Cole was thrilled. Phoebe can tell you how he always wanted a child, but he knew the dangers. He hoped to be with me, so he could be able to teach the baby how to use the powers for good and not for evil. Unfortunately, he was lost before the baby was born, and I grieved for him as much as Phoebe had. I'd finally realized how much Phoebe was right all these years and how I was wrong.

"When you were about three, I had taken Sarah and you to the farm for apples and pumpkins and I saw Death. This wasn't the first time I'd seen Death. I had been angry with Death after He took my mother and my boyfriend, Andy; I had met him again when Shax killed me. I couldn't refuse Death, and I hated it. I didn't know then, but after Mom and Gramms told me about Paige, I had to let go—I had to die." She looked at Paige and smile. "Now, Death was pissed—not sure a thing can get mad-but he was pissed at me. He knew who I was, and he showed me Patience's name on his list. In less than a year later, Death had taken me again-for good.

"After seeing Death, I created my will, and custody was given to her. She made your binding potion, so it would continue until something happened to her." Patty's lip began to tremble. Prue held Patty's hand. "We knew you had to be protected. Sarah and I had made arrangements for you to go to school in San Francisco, and after Sarah had seen your love for cooking, like your Aunt Piper, she knew to send you to the Culinary Institute and then, hopefully, be hired by Halliwell's, so…"

"I would meet my family?"

"The true intention was when you turned twenty-one, Sarah would introduce you to your powers and your family-your heritage; unfortunately, by then, the chemo had destroyed Sarah and it was over so..soon." Prue hugged her daughter as they both shed tears—tears of regret, time lost, and the past.

Patty looked into Prue's eyes , and Prue wiped her cheek. Patty's voice shook, "But what do I do now? I have demons after me."

"What demons? What do they look like?" Phoebe grabbed the tissue and handed them to her niece.

Grabbing a handful, Patty rolled her eyes, "I don't know, Mom, they were hooded—red eyes—evil—big knife.."

"I mean, do you have a clear picture of them?"

"Why?"

"Paige, would you call for the Book of Shadows?" Paige crossed her arms and blinked. "Paige…"

"Fine. Book of Shadows." The Book of Shadows appeared in a cluster of orbs.

"Honey, place your hands on the Book and think about the robed demons. The Book should stop at the demons you saw."

"Prue, that doesn't work all the time…" Phoebe began.

"Wait…" Prue stopped Phoebe as Patty's eyes closed and the Book opened and its pages skipped furiously under her hands. The Book stopped at the entry. "_The Brotherhood of the Thorn-Each member is given an athame as a symbol of solidarity…all the members has been destroyed by the Charmed Ones, except for Klea." _Prue leaned against the couch and stared at her sisters, "Damn."


	8. Finding a Paige in Patty's Life

"Mom, what does this mean?"

"It means we're going to need your dad. Dad was a member of the Brotherhood, which means they know about you, or at least a part of you. There are two possibilities: they want to kill you in revenge for Cole's defection, or they want to recruit you in order to harness your powers. Both are not good. We have some experience with them, but the last time, it was weeks before I was killed and Piper just got her explosive powers."

"When Cole was with the Thorn, he had a mentor, Raynor, who could read minds," Phoebe continued, "and could control Cole with his past. Raynor had captured the soul of Cole's dad and used it against him. That almost destroyed our relationship. I ended up turning into a banshee."

"A What?"

"A Celtic Screaming Demon who feeds on pain—not a good look, and Prue had to turn into a dog to find me. Cole ended up killing Raynor out of anger for losing me, and we thought it was the end. We didn't realize there was a remaining member. There wasn't a lot of time to worry. I agree with Prue; we have to get Cole down here."

"Phoebs, do you know what you're saying? You can handle everything, especially Cole?" Piper downed her third cup of tea.

"I have to, Piper. This isn't about me, Cole, or Prue. It's about Patty and her safety. It will be awkward, but he is the best resource we've got. He knows about the Thorn, and he will be able to train Patty on her demonic powers. Maybe the Elders will be able to help us—make it safe for the all of us. WYATT!"

Wyatt came in with Leo and Coop. "Okay, will now someone tell me what's going on?"

Phoebe stood up. "We need to talk to the Elders."

"Phoebe, wait, I should go after—"

"No, Patty needs you here. If you go back up, what would stop them from keeping you? Leo, everyone will get you caught up. Coop, Wyatt, I'll let you know what's going on." Phoebe looked into Coop's eyes. "I'm going to need all the support I can get."

"You got it." Coop like Leo had given up his powers in order to age with Phoebe. The two magic-less husbands bonded more and more with Henry, and they realized how helpless they could be in a time of trouble. Wyatt orbed Phoebe and Coop still in confusion; he hated not knowing everything, when she's supposed to be his charge!

"Leo, we're going to need you to go to Magic School." Prue stood up. "Patty, I'm going to help Uncle Leo with this. Why don't you hang out with Aunt Piper and Paige? I'll be back." Leo and Prue had climbed the stairs and activated the Magic School door, and they disappeared within the portal.

"I need…to cook. Patty, want to join me?" Patty shook her head. "I'll be in the kitchen."

"Why does Piper always go to the kitchen?"

"It's her way of dealing with stress. She concentrates on something totally different to calm down. However, the three cups of tea should have done it, but that's Piper."

"I thought I knew who I was and where I was going, but I guess I had no clue."

"It's not easy. I was in the same shoes when I found out."

"You didn't know anything?"

"For twenty-four years, I thought I was the typical adopted kid who had a hard time adjusting and then finally finding my niche in social work. I was dating, and I had a lot of friends. Then, mysteriously, I found out about Prue's death.

"At the funeral, Phoebe had a premonition that Shax was going to kill me, and she and Cole searched for me. What she, Cole, and even me didn't know was I had orbing powers.

"I ran up those stairs, just like you, and told to read a spell. I freaked out. I didn't realize the Source was after me. I didn't know how important I was. After everything was settled, I, like you, met my mother for the first time as a ghost.

"Piper didn't take it well. She hated your mother for leaving her. She didn't know how to handle losing a sister and gaining one. Piper was so used to being the middle sister that being the eldest threw her off. When Cole became the Source and Phoebe was the Queen of the Underworld, Piper thought she had failed as being the leader of the Charmed Ones. She had to realize that being a witch isn't easy, and she couldn't take all the burden as Prue did.

"I think that's why astro-projection was her savior. Prue was able to let go of all the responsibilities, and she finally became who she wanted to be."

"I guess you do understand what I'm going through. I know you're not thrilled about my dad, are you?"

"Your dad did protect us from the Source. He adored Phoebe, and he did everything in his power to get her back over and over. That was the part of him that wasn't evil. A demon cannot love. He loved this family—as much as he hated this family. No matter how he tried to get away from us, something brought him back into our lives.

"He sacrificed himself for Prue, Phoebe, Piper, and me. He proved he was true to his word when it came to protecting this family. I will admit: there is history, but Phoebe is right, we have to put our own personal feelings aside for you and what's best for you. We're family, and we endure together. Here comes the huggin'." Patty hugged Paige. "Now, let's make sure Aunt Piper isn't blowing up the kitchen."

"Is that wrong?"

"Not in this family."


	9. Special Request and Brownies

Wyatt had to pick up his jaw from the floor. Cousin? Prue? Cole? He had heard all the stories. His mother had been very vocal about the problems Cole had created for the Halliwell family and especially for Phoebe. He had more questions than answers. Waiting for an Elder to appear, it just made Wyatt more impatient.

Kevin the Elder appeared in his golden robes, "Phoebe, nice to see you again,"

"Wish I could have kept my youth as you did."

"What can I do for you today?"

"How 'bout I smack you in the head?"

"Wyatt, behave…"

"Phoebe, it's okay. I know he's mad at me. I know I didn't tell him everything, because I didn't know everything myself. Besides, it's not a surprise him being Piper's son."

"We need Cole Turner on Earth to help his daughter. The Brotherhood of the Thorn is after her, and the only one to train her in the Thorn and her powers is her father."

"You know as much as I do that this request is going to be difficult with the other Elders. It took a lot for us to accept him-to offer any redemption for his actions."

"Kevin, consider this as special favor. We've done a lot for the magical community. It would be great if we were given some latitude and have this request granted. Anything that the Elders can do, so we can protect Prue's daughter, will be more than we have now. Please ask. I can almost promise Piper to behave for awhile."

"We'll see. Give me a moment or two."

"Aunt Phoebe, is this going to work?"

Phoebe gripped her husband's hand and Wyatt's. "I hope so. When we get back, we'll help you figure out all the logistics about Patty and the Charmed line."

"Why?"

"Wyatt, you're already invested in Patty as your charge, and I've seen the two of you interact. The Halliwell line is notorious for whitelighters and witches…"

"But she's my cousin."

"Maybe not technically. I'm not the only one to notice this." Coop nodded.

Wyatt rolled his eyes, "She's just my charge."

"That's what your father said too."

Paige had pulled the second batch of brownies out of the oven as Piper worked over the stove. Rosemary and thyme were added to the orangish liquid. Prue and Leo entered the kitchen with a stack of books.

"Well, Magic School had some resources about demonic powers and the Thorn, but a lot of this is in the Book of Shadows," Leo thumbed through the first pile of textbooks.

"We found a cloaking spell that could protect Patty, but she would have to stay at school."

"Or we could use the whitelighter cloaking spell like we've done before…"

"How long does Patty have to be cloaked?" Prue looked around, "Where's Patty?"

Paige transferred the brownies onto two different plates, "She's lying down. This has been a tough day on her—much like the first couple days I went through. So Piper, you want them now?" Piper nodded and cut her finger and let several drops enter the liquid. The liquid rainbow tie-dyed and then returned to its original color.

"Piper, what are you doing?" Prue watched Piper siphoned a small portion into a cup and dip four pieces of paper into the liquid.

"My son is a whitelighter. His charge is a witch—an attractive witch. We know the history, and I've seen them interact. We need to cut this in the bud, if genetically, they are related, so I've asked for a couple volunteers. Paige?"

"TAM? HENRY?" Paige's two children orbed into the kitchen.

"So, here's the experiment. The potion reacts differently based on the blood. If I place my blood on this paper," Piper dabbed her cut finger onto the paper. It turned a bright pea green. "This shows I have Halliwell blood. Leo?" Leo volunteered his finger and his blood changed the paper into a royal blue.

"Now, my lovely assistants have volunteered to see if it works on descendents. Tam?" Piper pricked Tam's finger and placed her finger on the potion-laden paper. "See it is a bright green. Halliwell. Henry?" Piper repeated the process and Henry's paper was blue. "No Halliwell blood, but" Piper squeezed Henry's cheek, "but still adorable -and family."

Paige lifted the plate of brownies, and Tam and Henry grabbed the plate and orbed out, "Thanks, Aunt Piper!"

"Love you, too, kids!" Paige sarcastically said to the ceiling.

Leo inched over to his wife. "They left with all the brownies?"

Piper kissed him, "The other batch is behind you."

Prue grinned, "They must be special brownies for a niece, nephew, and husband vying to do your every bidding."

"See what you've missed!" Piper smirked.

As Leo set his second brownie on the plate, Phoebe and Wyatt orbed in. "And? What's the verdict?"

"We owe them. Big. Time. They are granting us Cole for as long as Patty needs to be trained. He won't have his demonic powers while at the Manor, only at Magic School. They are preparing a sparring area where Cole can use his demonic powers, and they won't be lethal to any of us. He will look as if he has aged—like the rest of us, but he will return to his demonic self in the arena only. If we're attacked, he won't be able to defend himself with any of those powers."

Piper finished cleaning her potion pot and wiped her hands, "So, where is he?"

"We wanted to make sure if this is what we want. What Patty wants. She's been through a lot in the past couple of days. Knowing about us. Prue. I didn't want to speak for.."

"Who?" Patty scratched her head.

Prue touched her cheek. "The Elders have granted us to bring your dad down. He'll be human here, but he'll be able to train you in your demonic powers in a safe place. Phoebe wanted to make sure to see if that's okay with you."

"If that's what's going to take, yeah."

"Okay. Phoebs, how do we do it?"

"Not us. Patty, Patty has to call for him."

The Charmed Ones and Patty climbed the stairs. "You know, it doesn't have to happen now. You can wait," Phoebe reassured her.

"Thank you, Aunt Phoebe, but I have to do it now. So, do…I… say the same spell?" Piper opened the Book, skipped to the page, and nodded. "Okay, here it goes, _H__ear these words, hear my cry, spirits from the other side, come to me, I summon thee, cross now the great divide_."

It didn't need the candles this time. No wind. A glowing warmth entered the room, "Hello, ladies."


	10. Cole's Conflict

A distinguished man in a sensible suit gazed on the eyes of the Charmed Ones. He saw his past, present, and now future in front of him. His past love, Phoebe, taught him that who you were wasn't who you had to be. His present love, Prue, showed him that love can exist without magic and power. His future love, Patty, could be the best piece of him and prove to the world over and over that he did something good.

"Cole, I want you to meet our daughter, Patty," Prue held Patty's shoulders and led her to her father.

"You are just as beautiful as I remembered and much more-as pretty as your mother and your aunts." Patty was hesitant to reach for her father. She still didn't know who this person or demon was. She knew he was part of her; she could see herself in his features.

"Patty, it's okay. He's not going to hurt you," Paige reassured her.

Patty approached her dad. "It's nice to meet you, C-Dad." Patty hugged her father, and Cole squeezed his eyes relishing his daughter's touch.

Patty looked into his father's eyes. "I see your mother and I got you into some trouble. We will do everything in our power to protect you. Ladies, what's the plan?"

"We have reserved some space in Magic School for you to train Patty. Just as the Elders stated, you'll only have demonic powers in the sparring room. When you are outside of it, you're human," Phoebe spoke matter-of-factly. Coop stood close to her and held her hand. "Wyatt will be there in case you need to work with her witch powers."

"Sounds good." Cole cupped his daughter's chin. "Why don't you and Wyatt get the room set-up? I want to talk to your Mom and your aunts for a sec."

Patty didn't argue and, for once, Wyatt didn't either. He orbed Patty to Magic School.

"First, I give you all credit for wanting me to come down to help Patty. After all I've done to this family, I don't know if I would have let me. Phoebs, I know this hasn't been easy for you. With me and Prue. Not knowing anything about Patty. Coop, you've done for for Phoebe than I could. Thank you.

"Piper and Paige, you've dealt with me in so many ways, and we've tried to kill each other so times…this must have been difficult. You're good Aunts and good witches. Something I didn't truly appreciate until it was too late

"And Prue, you've brought this beautiful woman in the world, and she's the best of both of us, but I want to make sure of something before I train her."

"What, Cole?" Prue walked over to him and touched his shoulder.

"Once I train her, there's no going back. She'll be a trained killer—demon or witch—she'll be lethal. You know how tempting evil is. We can protect her, but how many times have we've been turned evil? A banshee? A vampire? A fury? The Source? If she stays untrained, she won't be able to protect herself completely, but evil won't be at her doorstep every day wanting her to change sides and destroy everyone including herself. I don't mind training her and showing her what she can do, but I want her family to understand this too."

Prue hugged Cole. "Honey, that is the nicest thing you've said to all of us, but the Thorn will tempt her. If we don't train her, the Thorn will. They will not show mercy; they will corrupt all the good in the world and turn into her into a heartless monster. We cannot protect her from everything; we have to have faith in her and our family. It is the one thing that changed the banshee, the vampire, the fury, and even the Source-back to our family. Back where we belong."

Cole kissed her. "That's the reason why I fell in love with you. You're wise."


	11. The Training Restraints

Paige orbed Cole to Magic School. She kept telling herself that this was for Patty- and not for Cole to create a demon. A simple dojo had been created with pads, cushions, swords, and other martial art equipment. A younger, more lethal Cole looked around inspecting the arena. "What, no cave?"

Wyatt crossed his arms. "Actually the cave is two classrooms down if you prefer…"

"Wyatt, you may be my nephew, but I can still kick your ass." Cole smirked to Wyatt. "Now, the first problem is how you think, Patty. You think bilaterally, which means you separate yourself into two parts—good and evil. To be an effective witch or demon, you have to be able to use your powers-no matter what and on either side."

Patty defensively shot her arms, "I don't think-"

"Mom froze you in half, remember?"

"Fine, but I don't know how."

"You've been born into n unique family. Most of your cousins are very similar to you: half whitelighters, half witches; half cupids, half witches. The only difference is they don't see themselves half good and half evil like you. It's a control mechanism that your body has created to protect you. In order to defend yourself and others, you have to get out of that mindset. Wyatt?"

Wyatt walked over to Patty, grabbed her demonic arm, and held it behind her back. "What the hell are you doing? Let go of me!"

"Or what?" Patty pushed her free arm shot a fireball into his chest, pushing him ten feet in front of her. Smoke engulfed Wyatt's body.

Patty gasped at her hand, "How…How did I do that? Wyatt, are you hurt?" Patty's hands shook as she reached for Wyatt.

"Nope. Thank God for the protection shield this school has."

"Patty, you just did it. Your powers are not limited to one side. They flow through your entire body, but when Wyatt constrained you, your body reacted.

"Witches and demons both have their emotions controlling their powers, but after that, it depends on the side. Wiccan powers are controlled not only good emotions such as love, compassion, and protections, but also fear, frustration, and aggression. Demons only use fear, frustration, and aggression to control their powers. Witches and demons have been taught through time and experience how to use their powers effectively, but you need to learn it quickly, because the Thorn wants you."

"Why? Why me?"

"My guess is to use your powers for evil. The first couple of demons were not true Thorn members; they were spies to see your powers in action. They report to the Thorn to determine the next step. Fire throwing is an upper level demon power, so they know it's something they want to harness for their needs—to prepare for the next Source."

"Isn't that what you were?"

"The Source is not a person. It's a collection of powers that embodies an upper level demon. A normal demon could not undertake the Source's powers—he or she would be destroyed in the induction ceremony. It takes a strong demon to manipulate the powers to the will of evil. It is a possession of the body, soul, and mind, and the rush is intense.

"Until the Grimmoiré is found, a Source cannot be truly created, so upper level demon groups such as the Thorn and the Triad have honed their demons in case the Book is found and one is chosen to be the Source. What evil didn't take in account was, I was half human, and humanity is stubborn to get rid of. You and your Aunt Paige had to do this quickly, similarly, because you need to get to full power."

"Why? I'm happy who I am. What's the big deal about getting my powers in order? Aren't I safer?"

Paige had seen this in herself several years ago. This was the reason why she had to stay with them, because neither Cole or Wyatt could tell her the true why. "When your Mom was killed and your Aunts found me, the Source wanted all of us dead. RhThe=

The Source thought that killing Prue would kill the threat, but finding me, just made him more determined to end it for good.

"The Source, as well as most upper level demons, can morph or glamour into any person. He morphed into my boyfriend to tempt me. The Source manipulated my thoughts and my actions, so I would fight for Team Evil. My sisters taught me that blood is thicker than evil, and they were willing to die for me in order to protect me.

"It wasn't easy. Piper wasn't thrilled about another sister and the lies…half-truths that our mother told us. She didn't want to open herself to more hurt by letting someone else in. ..to love someone else. Her anger turned her into a Fury. Until she realized she was mad at Prue and …finally to accept me, Piper wasn't able to handle being the eldest sister and the responsibilities.

"I also had to be understanding. I didn't realize how much I meant to them. I wasn't just a tool—I was their sister who needed training badly and quickly. After losing innocents and dabbling into magic, I finally took witchcraft seriously and absorbed everything my sisters showed me. Unfortunately, by the time I was trained enough to help, your Dad was the Source and Aunt Phoebe was the Queen of the Underworld.

" It took years to accept that Prue was not the better sister, most powerful, or the true Charmed One. You can't take years, honey. I understand why your Mom and Godmother protected you away from magic—that's why our mother and grandmother did that for us, but we, being as powerful as we are, needed to catch up more quickly than anyone else, because it wasn't just our lives that were in danger, it was all of the innocents.

"In this training, it may seem cool to learn all the tricks, but it is the innocents that make us good and not all the power." Paige grabbed her coat. " I'm going to leave you to the boys, but keep that in mind for me." Paige kissed her niece on the forehead and orbed out of the arena.

Grabbing a leather restraint, Cole approached her daughter. "So, let's get started."


	12. Shimmering Shapes

Patty spent three hours defending energy and fire balls and hitting multiple targets with her "good" arm.

"Can't you take the restraint off?"

"Not until you can fire without thinking."

"Can't we take a break?" She panted heavily.

"Demons don't give breaks. Demons have no sympathy or mercy. There are no breaks until we're done. Now, we need to talk about shimmering."

"Shimmering?"

"Like whitelighters, demons can move with a thought. They can move within small spaces or different dimensions. It is based on a fear response mechanism just like orbing. When Paige learned, she had to be scared in order to orb."

"How?"

"Wyatt."

Wyatt approached Patty until he had her cornered in the room. "Wyatt, back off." Wyatt leaned in and Patty stared into his blue eyes. She had known Wyatt was handsome. All of her female co-workers drooled over him and his younger brother, Chris. There wasn't an ugly Halliwell—the girls were beautiful and the guys were drop dead gorgeous, but he was her cousin, kinda. She lost her footing, "I said, back off, please."

"Too close?" A part of her wanted to grab him and kiss him, the other part wanted to kick him in the groin. It was getting more and more uncomfortable until she squeezed her eyes and found herself next to Cole.

"How did I do that?"

"You were uncomfortable, awkward, and frustrated. You desperately wanted to leave, and your demonic powers sent you here, probably for protection. Until you can control it, you'll have to think of that feeling to shimmer. Shimmering can be done without thinking after you get the hang of it. Now, climb the catwalk." The twenty foot ceiling had a series of metal bridges to hang equipment and to do other physical training. Patty stopped asking why; neither Cole nor Wyatt was responding to her anymore. When she reached the top, Wyatt orbed next to her and pushed her off. She screamed and then shimmered before hitting the ground. Patty positioned herself back on the girder.

"NOT funny!"

"Wasn't supposed to be! You have to be prepared for everything. Evil doesn't play fair. I don't play fair."

"You will- when you get a burnt hand print on your chest!"

Cole shimmered next to them, "Behave, Children! Patty, he has to be rough with you just like when I trained Phoebe. In this arena, relationships are out the window!"

"What relationship? Wyatt's…my cousin!"

"Friends, lovers, family, it doesn't matter. A demon will use it to his advantage. They are trained to find weaknesses and manipulate them. Demons love fear, because witches care about others and fear of life is a witch's first priority. When your Aunts lost Prue, their biggest fear was losing another sister. Each of them has faced death several times, and just like Paige said, everything has to be taken seriously."

Wyatt looked at the ceiling. "I'm coming, MOM! I hate to end this, but Mom's screaming at us for dinner. I don't need a phone—I have Mom waiting. Geez!" The three landed back on the ground. Wyatt orbed Cole and Patty back to the Manor.

Piper had set the table for eight. Cole returned to his human self and took a deep whiff, "One thing, I missed being alive was food, especially Piper's cooking." He stared into Wyatt's eyes, "Don't tell your Mom that."

Piper came out and placed wine glasses on the table. "Good, you're here. Dinner's almost ready."

"If it's okay, I'm going to take a shower before dinner. I'm exhausted," Patty dried her face with a towel. Piper nodded, and Patty jumped up the stairs.

"Cole, if you could open a bottle of wine, that would be great. Wyatt, why don't you wash up too?" Cole followed Piper into the kitchen.

Just as Wyatt turned for the stairs, a cloaked demon shot an energy ball in Wyatt's chest. He fell to the ground with a thud. "This may motivate our little demonette."

The demon shimmered Wyatt away, while another morphed into Wyatt's shape and strolled into the kitchen, "What's for dinner, Mom?"


	13. Dinner Theater

Dinner seemed uneventful. Prue and Piper had made homemade lasagna with herb and tomato foccacia. Chris and Melinda started taking in the dishes as Leo filled Tupperware with leftovers, and Piper, Cole, and Prue were reminiscing over picture albums in the conservatory. Cole didn't realize how many pictures he had been in all these years. It seemed appropriate for Cole to be part of the Halliwell family, and now with Prue and Patty, he was part of the family.

During dinner, Cole watched Wyatt, and he didn't seem right. His mannerisms were different, and he spoke to Patty oddly. He didn't have the normal banter that he shared with Patty. He wondered if the training had tired Wyatt out, and that's why he didn't seem himself. With Patty just starting the training, Cole wanted to make sure Patty was in eye's sight—like making sure the safety is on the gun.

Patty relaxed on the couch as Wyatt paced in the living room. She wasn't sure why he was pacing—this was his house. Why did she feel more at ease than someone who lived there all of his life? Maybe she was paranoid with all this demon stuff, but something inside her told her something was wrong.

"So, Wyatt, you like being a whitelighter?"

"It's fun. I've been a whitelighter all my life."

Patty probed further, "So how many charges do you have?" Patty knew she was one of the first. Wyatt had gone to his mother for help, and Cole wouldn't have been called if Wyatt had a lot of experience.

"I don't know—four, five." This was a lie, and she remembered what Paige had said, "_Demons can morph into anyone."_

Patty stood and approached Wyatt. "So, all this training…" She pulled off her sweatshirt revealing her tank top, "has made me so powerful..so excited." She rubbed her hands on Wyatt's chest. "Why can't we just disappear from the folks and shimmer to…Paris?"

Wyatt grabbed Patty into his arms. "Hell, yeah. We should go now."

"Before we go, I want to make reservations at the hotel after your nickname for me—that superhero you said I was like… We don't need any Halliwell know where we are, right?"

Wyatt began to nibble her ear, "You'll always be my Wonder Woman."

Patty shoved Wyatt away and into the table underneath the stairs. The noise erupted in the house, and Cole, Prue, and Piper came within seconds. Patty had Wyatt in the air and levitated him fifteen feet.

"What are you doing to Wyatt?" Piper screamed.

Patty began to spin Wyatt and faced her parents, "This isn't Wyatt! He's a fraud! He thought I was Wonder Woman and not the Hulk, whoever that is!"

Wyatt struggled from the grip, and he shot his arm in Patty's direction. Cole noticed this, and he pushed Patty aside as the electrical bolt shot into Cole instead of Patty. Cole dropped immediately, and Piper immediately vanquished her fake son. Patty dove to her father's side and raised his head, "Dad..Daddy… " Prue and Piper rushed to Patty's and Cole's side.

Cole touched his daughter's cheek. "So proud of you…best part…of..me..is..you."

Tears streamed down Patty's cheek. "Look at me, Dad, please. I…love..you. Please don't leave me."

"Love…you..forever.." Cole's eyes closed, and he disappeared.


	14. The Inner Demon

Patty began to rock and cry inconsolably. Prue tried to hold her daughter, but Patty pushed her away. Piper, Leo, Chris, and Melinda huddled together. "Chris, Melinda, get your aunts, now!" Chris and Melinda disappeared.

"Bring him back! Bring him back!" Patty screamed at her mother.

Prue kneeled by her daughter, "Honey, I can't."

"Why not? Aren't you guys the all powerful _**Charmed Ones**_! You got him here in the first place. Now, bring him back!"

"The Elders wo—"

"What's the use of magic when you can't bring back the people you love?" Patty pulled at her sweat and tear soaked hair. Paige and Phoebe orbed with their niece and nephew.

"What happened?" Phoebe crouched to Patty's side.

"The Thorn has kidnapped Wyatt. A demon morphed in Wyatt and tried to attack Patty, and Cole pushed her aside. He's gone," Piper tried to give information as matter of fact as possible, but she was beside herself trying to think of the next step.

"Honey, it's ok-" Phoebe rubbed her back.

"It's NOT okay. My Dad's gone, and it's all my fault. If I would have had vanquished the demon, Dad wouldn't have had to save me. If I was just…" This just made Patty cry harder, and Phoebe sat down and held Patty.

Prue was dumbfounded. She seemed lost. This was the first time she had to parent and she was speechless. She stared up into Piper's eyes, "I didn't know. I didn't know this is how you felt. How lost you felt. Piper…I'm…sorry."

"I know, Honey, but it's not going to help Patty or Wyatt." As Piper and Prue talked, Paige, Leo, Chris, and Melinda were plotting. They were planning an attack. "Leo, what's going on?"

"Chris has a plan. We think it would work, but there's some risk involved. Patty has to…"

"Patty has to what?" Prue interrupted. "She just lost her father. Can't you see she's distraught?"

"Aunt Prue, we can't wait with this plan! The Thorn doesn't know the fake Wyatt has failed. If we move now, we have the advantage and Cole's death would not go in vain," Chris's counter stopped Prue and shocked the attention of his mother and his other aunts. His experience in the past and the present had made him very valuable. He acted more like the eldest than the middle child. Chris had worked with his parents and his Aunts in the past, and they had trusted him with everything-including the future.

"Prue, Phoebe, you know where Cole's athame is?"

Prue nodded. "It's in Salem-hidden, why?"

"We're going to need it, and Patty?"

Patty stopped rocking and looked up at Chris, "What do..I.. have..to..do?"

"Channel your inner demon."

****

Wyatt had lain unconscious on the floor with his arms strapped, so if he awoke he would harm himself. Patty and the fake Wyatt shimmered in cavern facing several hooded demons. "You know, if you wanted my attention, you didn't have to take out the whitelighter."

A demon approached her and removed the hood. She was a beautiful Asian woman with black eyes. "You keep blowing up my help. I'm Klea. I am part of the Brotherhood of the Thorn. Welcome."

Patty tried to control her emotions when she saw Wyatt, but remembered how he angered her throughout her training, it kept her focused; it kept her angry. She glared at the fake Wyatt, "Can you get rid of the body double? I don't need babysitting."

Klea waved the fake Wyatt away, and he disappeared within the robes. "You probably want your whitelighter back."

"Not really," Patty unsheathed a shiny knife. "I inherited this. It had your mark, but it doesn't work."

"That's Baltazor's athame. You inherited it?"

"My father, Cole Turner, you know of him?"

At the name of Patty's father, the robed demons whispered. Klea rubbed her hands together. "I didn't know Baltazor had any offspring. Thought he was vanquished before he and his Charmed wife had a child."

"I'm not his Charmed _wife_'s child. I'm not the Source's bitch either. My mother lived in Salem—perfect place for an interlude." Patty kept with the truth as much as possible. She tossed the athame in the air and kept it rotating as she spoke, "So, how do I get this thing to work?"

"You have to be part of the Brotherhood to activate it. Its power comes from our collective much like the Avatars and the Triad."

Patty continued to spin the blade and she questioned nonchalantly, "How do I join?"

Klea glared into Patty's blue eyes. "You DON'T join. You are WELCOMED, then You are INITIATED. It doesn't happen overnight, sweetie."

The blade stopped and jabbed into the altar. "No joining, huh? Even if I greased the wheels? A Bribe?"

Klea lifted her chin mockingly, "There is no bribe worth that much power."

Patty yanked the athame out of the altar and began to pick at her fingernails, "Gee, not even the Grimmoiré? Bummer. Okay, if that's how you feel…"

Patty began to shimmer, but Klea grabbed her arm. "How do you know about the Grimmoiré? You're too young to know that."

"My father just didn't give me this blade. He gave me so much more. Beltazor had shacked up with the Charmed Ones for years before he was vanquished. You're talking about the Source of All Evil. He squeezed the location out of that old whitelighter…Leo…while he was married to the Charmed One, Phoebe. My.."

"So why the Charmed whitelighter?"

"You know why? Any of Beltazor's offspring could be dangerous to the Charmed Ones. Why not lead a Charmed cousin or two to evil? Especially Phoebe's children.. They had to keep an eye on me. I work in the old witch's restaurant, remember?" She hoped Piper would forgive her; that was one witch she did not want to piss off. Ever.

"Perhaps, we could negotiate. First, kill the whitelighter."

Patty didn't look twice and threw a fireball at Wyatt. The figure exploded.

"Happy now? Can I get my power now," Patty floated a fireball in the air, "or do I have to kill your henchmen too?"

Klea guided Patty's arm down. "First, the Grimmoiré. Then, you can have your power.

Patty smiled, "I hope your passport is updated."


	15. The Grimmoire

Even in the spring time, the Andes Mountain range is like winter—at least ten thousand feet up, that is. Klea and her crew plus Patty arrived on one of the mountaintops.

"So, where is it?" Klea demanded.

"Through this wall, but I have to take you in. It is protected with good magic. I have some good magic in me, and I have to guide you in."

"Do it then."

"I cannot bring your entire entourage. Only those I touch will be allowed entrance. All this evil will off set the spell I have to do. Send the fan club away."

"And leave me here to be vanquished by you? Most certainly not!"

"You can keep one bodyguard," Patty looked around and pointed at one of the taller figures, "Him or Her or It. I hope whenever I get these powers, there will be a better wardrobe."

"I WANT two bodyguards. No exceptions."

"Geez, diva. Fine, that one. Can we do this now or are we waiting for the snow to melt?"

Klea glared into Patty's eyes. "I might need you, but it doesn't mean I can't kill you after I have the Grimmoiré."

"You would never kill Baltazor's heir. You need me too much to destroy the Charmed Ones. As his heir, I will be your strongest supporter, My Liege—The New Source of All Evil."

"You definitely are the heir of Baltazor; you can sense the utmost weaknesses in our kind. Please, Patricia." Klea waved the crowd away leaving the two bodyguards at her side.

"As your wish, my Liege." Patty faced the mountainside and drew the triquetra in the snow. Then, she pricked her finger, and in blood, drew a pentagon. A magical door formed on the mountainside. "Entrez vous, my queen."

Patty bowed as Klea entered the mountainside with her henchmen. Several hundred feet into the structure, a blacken podium held the cursed book within candle lit triquetra.

"The journey is not over, My Liege. Good can only enter the realm; therefore, I want my power before we go any further, then I will be at your service."

"Will I be able to touch the book? The most direct source of power would come straight from the Grimmoire. Give me the athame."

Patty handed over her father's athame, and Klea placed the blade on the evil book. The dagger glowed blue, green, yellow, and red before it returned to silver.

"You are one of us now, Patricia," Klea placed the athame into Patty's hand, and immediately, she was in Brotherhood's robes. Her eyes glowed and turned black.

"Thank you, Master."

Patty held Klea's hand and walked through the triquetra. Klea grasped the book and flipped through the pages. "Just as I remembered. So powerful. So beautiful. So Mine." They held hands again and left the triquetra imprint.

Klea walked to the mountain wall. "Ti-a- rikpol-MORT!" The wall exploded exposing to the open air. "You've been so useful, young Patricia, but you're out of bargaining chips." Klea didn't look back. "Kill her."

The two robed figures lifted their hoods to show Wyatt and Chris behind her. "Yes, M'am." Klea spun around to see the Charmed sons facing her. Chris threw Klea to the wall and the Grimmoire back onto the podium. Wyatt's hands were illuminated ready for the vanquish, but Patty stopped him.

Patty dropped the athame, and her robes disappeared. "Wait! Can I try this?" Wyatt shrugged his shoulders in a "Why Not?" pose, and Patty shot through both hands fireballs at Klea. The vanquish impact shot Chris, Wyatt, and Patty back ten feet.

Patty smiled at her handy work. "So, I'm like Wonder Hulk now, huh?"

Wyatt dusted himself off, "Wonder Big Mouth, you mean."

Patty kissed Wyatt on the cheek. "That's my whitelighter!"


	16. Goodbye but Not Forever

The boys and Patty stretched on the sofas as they recapped the events to their mothers.

"So everything went in order?" Prue began.

"It was all Patty, Aunt Prue," Chris bragged, "Whether she's technically a Halliwell or not. She gave enough time for me to get Wyatt out of bondage and place the unconscious demon in Wyatt's place."

"I honestly didn't know what I was doing."

"Actually, that works best," Wyatt confirmed. "We let our instincts work for us—good or evil. In your case, the demon in you was able to take control of the situation just like your Dad taught you."

Piper sat on the edge of the couch. "How did you know the demon was going to allow you take in only Chris and Wyatt?"

"In culinary school, I played a little poker. I knew I had to go all in if I was going to cover my bluff. She needed to think the odds were still in her favor. And as my whitelighter says, demons don't play fair. I figured she would renege on the deal once she had her hands on the Grimmoiré. No pun intended, I don't think she needed seven demons—it would be overkill. I had to make sure my pair of bullets was the best hand."

"I'm so glad everyone's safe. That's the big thing."

"I'm beginning to understand how important family is. If it wasn't for you and Dad, I don't know if I could have had the nerve to actually fight that demon."

"I know I'm leaving you in good hands with your Aunts and cousins."

Patty jumped up,"Leaving? Why? I just got to know you. I can't do this alone. Dad's gone. Why do you have to leave too?"

Piper recognized Prue's stance. It reminded her every time her mother or Grams would leave. This moment was always bittersweet. "Honey, this is your time now. Not mine or your Dad's. I don't belong here, and besides, I'm only a call away." Patty's eyes began to swell. "This isn't easy for me either. I desperately want to stay, but if I don't leave now. They won't let me come down to see you later. We have to play by the rules."

Patty sniffed, "So I have to play fair.."

"Come on." Prue walked Patty up stairs to the attic. Piper and her sons followed, and it was bittersweet for them too. Prue's visits came once and awhile, and they didn't know when they would see her again. Unlike other humans, they had been spoiled seeing, talking, and being with past loved ones.

In the attic, Piper hugged her sister, "Don't be a stranger. You hear me?"

Prue nodded. "Of course. Thank you for taking care of my daughter."

Wyatt and Chris gave their goodbye hugs and then Patty had her turn. "I'm going to miss you, so much."

"And I, you, but we'll be always here for you."

"We?"

"What am I, chopped liver?"

Patty turned around and saw Cole. His smile was beaming, and his arms opened. She jumped into her father's arms. "I thought I lost you."

"When will this family get the idea that I don't ever leave?" he nudged his daughter's head and smiled. "As I've said, I'm proud of you, always. You will be always the best part of me. Your Mom and I will be when you need us." He winked, "Maybe walk you down the aisle."

Patty hugged her father and her mother. Cole and Prue joined hands and walked into the beam of light. In that second, they were translucent. "We love you. And all this is because of good magic in you." They disappeared within the glowing light.


	17. Epilogue The Blood Test

Epilogue

In the weeks that followed, Patty spent more time at the Manor. No matter if it was with one of her Aunts or her cousins, she was getting accustomed to her family. Things seem natural now. There was no awkwardness when she came into the house anymore.

Alike to Paige, Patty's aunts wanted her closer to the Manor, even though Patty could shimmer without thinking now. Each aunt offered her a spare bedroom in each Charmed house, but Patty felt more and more comfortable with her Aunt Piper than Phoebe or Paige. Patty decided to move in the Manor and live in Paige's, no, Prue's old room.

Piper taught her about potions, while she and Patty would brew new recipes for the restaurant. While learning about the craft, Patty wanted to keep her job at the restaurant as simple as possible. Doing prep work and sauces, she was able to do those duties by rote memory.

At home, Piper was teaching her how to make Peking duck. Patty was creating the glaze for the skin. "Aunt Piper, did you ever make that potion…"

"To see if you were a Halliwell or not?" Patty nodded. "I did. I didn't want to push it until you were ready or asking." Piper pulled an Orange Crush colored potion from the cabinet. "You know, you don't have to do this."

"I know this doesn't change anything, but after all what I and…Wyatt…"

"You don't have to say another word." Patty tilted her head. "This ring?" Piper pointed to her wedding band. "Is the reason I made this potion."

Patty took a deep breath. "So, what do I do?"

Piper dipped a piece of paper into the orange liquid and grabbed a knife. "Cut your finger and place your blood on the paper. If it's green, you're a Halliwell by genes. If it's blue, you're a Halliwell by love."

Patty pricked her finger and squeezed the end of it to get the blood flowing. She dabbed her finger onto the paper. Patty and Piper watched the paper turn colors. "Patty?"

"Yeah?"

"You can officially date my son."


End file.
